Microsoft Cortana's All-Appliance And Translation Features Give It An Edge Over Siri And Google's Va's

Microsoft, the once-mighty giant founded by legend Bill Gates, has been sidelined as of late, by its age-old rival Apple and comparative newcomers like Google. But the software pioneer is bent on making a comeback. Aside from its Azure cloud computing system which has been getting raves from reviewers and customrs alike, Microsoft is positioning its Virtual Assistant Cortana as a major instrument for its comeback. Other more popular versions like Apple's Siri and Google's OK, Google might have to watch their respective backs.

According to the Top Examiner, two things can make Cortana stand out from its rivals. The first is its translation capabilities. This multi-lingual program will be designed to help Cortana users from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and who speak different languages, understand each other. Siri itself has been programmed to host and use at least seven languages, but all indicators point that Cortana's translation features are made for more conversational and social purposes.

VentureBeat forecasts other fascinating possibilities, with Cortana's automatically translating a user's conversation with someone who is based in another country like Switzerland or Japan.

Another major breakthrough is opening up Cortana to third-party developers who can now integrate it into their systems, speakers, and other smart apps. This strategy goes counter to the ones employed by Google and Apple which place their VA's in their own unique platforms. Cortana's all-appliance appeal might be calculated to make programmers and developers enter Microsoft's ecosystem, which would widen its market.

The collaboration that can come from this open universe can be mind-boggling. A Microsoft linkage with Knowmail, for example, can lead to a user asking Cortana to sift through his hundred email messages and flag those which are dangerous or suspicious. He can also ask Cortana to read selected email: prioritize messages from his kids, let the boss' come second, and then just put the one from bowling-alley partners on the backburner.

Since the launch and success of Azure, Microsoft has made no secret of its mission to reclaim lost ground and expand it. With Cortana fueling its forward motion, it might just make a claim on a very huge portion of the digital landscape.